mandeville



No. 73,541,2 PATENTED JAN. 21, 168.-

- G. A. MANDBVILLE E W. E. PINE.

MACHINE FOR BLGCKING AND STRETGHING HATS.

Fig: 2, Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ff@ .s mmm- In vez: w.

GEORGE- A. MANDEVILLE AND WILLIAM E. PINE, OFNEWARK, NEW-JERSEY;

`Letters Patent No. 73,541, dated January 21, 1868. l

inrnovnnnnr In MACHINES ron BLocKtNe AND s'rnEToHINe HATS.

ilge Stimuli retentit. In tigtst lettcrs @rient animating nm in' tgt stmt.

TO ALL WHOM I T MAY CONCERN: i l y f Be it known that ne, Groen A. MANDVILLE and AWiLLrAIu E. PINE, bothof the city of Newark, county of Essex, and State of Nen Jersey, have invented certain Improvementsin Hat-Blocking Machines; and n'e do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form port of this specication, is a description of their invention suicient to enable those skilled in thclnrt to practise it. In the felting ofAhat-hodicgithcy cre almost universally made in n conical: form, 'and generally thicker in some parts than in others, to admit of their being afterwards stretched in certain parts more than in others, f

and they are then subsequently blocked, or formed into the required shapes for the prevailing mode or fashion.

The object of ourA invention is to form or blocli the hat-body direct` from the cone into any proper she-po required, and discharge it from the machine on' which itis formed or blocked rendy'for receiving its fina-l nish, the necessary stretching, as well es blocking, being done in our machine, end bye rapid and continuous processlivhilst the'linbility of injury to the body when being blocked, or whilst removing it from the block, incident to all machinery vknown to usvwhioh is new used for such purposes, is entirely avoided. When, a.s in some cases,v :i hut-bodyis too thick, or not suiiiciently rounded at the tio` indy require the use of en independent stretchl ing, to luy flat. that portion of the cone. Y

Onr invention consists in-the novel construction, mode 'of operation,devices, and combinations of devices, hereinafter particularly described, the leading features of tvhich maybe said to be a. system ot` rising and felling enter stretching-orme, radially set, whose inner heads inrm a. sectional rim or band-plete', nvsystem of radially set brim-supporting arms, whose inner heads form also o-sectionai rim or bend-plate; means for contracting and expanding the circles described by these sectionalhcaiis; means for gredunting the amount of pressure at that point or line in the periphery of the felted cone where it is most required; means for iirmly, but gently, clamping the body or cone, when in proper position for the forming process; end it also consists in numerous "details, serving the more eihciently to attain these ends in a simple nud economical manner, end with n great saving of time and labor. A mechanism embodying our invention is illustrated 'inthe accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation, the portion above the table beingshown in vertical section through its centre. Figure 2 is ia. side elevation, not in section. Figure 8,- e plan view of the complete F, hereinafter described, and Figure 4 o plan and edge view` of the'disk which supports the het-block. Like letters and ordinals refer to the seme parte in the diierent figures. The framework for supporting the machinery may be of any desirable form suitable for the purpose. .lhet which we have shown is, in its general features, very similar tothe table of o. sewing-machine. About centrally upon this table is rigidly secured a radially-grooved or mortis-ed plete, 1, the grooves being T-shape'd, or other- 'ivise formed, to receive the correspondiugly-shaped tenons of euch of the sliding arms 2. These arms are arranged about e. central space, the whole series of them forming n circle. Each arm, at its top and on its inner side, is broader than at other parts, as shown et 3, in order to fill up the spaces between the arms at their tops, and thus, when brought together, fornik such topinto n continuous rim. Each arm has also, on its inner side, :In inclined slot, 5i 4 is a ring, lying freely in theseslots, and it isshown connected by rods, 6, which pass through holes in the table to en armed sleeve, 7, which is secured to the rods by` nuts 8. This sleeve is shown as surrounding the rising and felling shaft 15. 9 is e. handler/er, pivoted, nt 12, to n stud or henger, 11,

n:rnd through a sleeve or band' on this lever, surrounding-the sleeve 7, n pointed screw, 10, passes, to hold the same to sleeve 7. By lengthening sleeve 7, and putting e. screw-thread thereon, ond then passing this sleeve through a bracket depending from the under side ot the tehie, e threaded 'wheel or button in a slot of said bracket, and surrounding said sleeve, may serve, insteed-of`th'e lever, to lift or lower the shaft 15; but, from its quicker action and facility .of adjustment, we prefer to use the lever., 1d is a slotted studor hanger, and 14 a thumb-nut, turning upon a screw, projecting from the side of' the lever thronghvthe slot, to admit of adjusting and securing in the desired position-the ring 4, tho raising or. lowering of the ring, by reason of its action on the inclined slots 5, serving to force simultaneously all the arms, 2, either to or from the centre. 15. is a. centra! vertically-sliding pressing-shaft, passing through sleeve or Way, 15%, projecting beneath the table. 16 is a radially-groovedfepd perforated disk or plate, supported ucar the topof this shaft, and forming a support or rest for the hat-block or former 17, which lies loosely'upon it. Instead of this plate 16, wc proposeto use, it'4 desired,a plate, perforated but not grooved, or grooved but not perforated, or a'skeleton pl'ate, or simply two or more cross-bars, or a central disk or button, with arms, or any equivalent rest for the hat-block, which will at the Sametime allow the free escape of the air and water. This block is covered with brass or other smoothsurfaced metal, to prevent the adhesion of. the hat-body to the block, such adhesion always attending the use of blocks made of wood only, and causing much injury to the body when,v in thc act of blocking, as well as when -removing it from the block. Holes are formed through this block from top to bottornffor the passage. ot'l air,

as'hereinafter stated; vthey also incidentally allow any watercxpressed `from the tip of the habbodyyand nots otherwise disposed of, to`drip through. This metal covering I may dispense with ut t'hecent're portion of the tip of the block, where the adhesion of the hat-body is the least. The block is diagonally cut, as shown, as is customary. 18 is-a bent lever, connected toA shaft 1.5 by -aL-chain, 19. This -lever is pivoted, at 21, to a stud or hanger, 20, and the part of it to which the chain is attached is formed in the arc of a circle, of which this pivot is the centre. This are is in close proximity to the shaft 15, andhas a4 groove in its' periphery to receive the chain. This arc, during themotions ofthe lever, always secures 'a uniform expenditure of power at every stage ofelevation of th'eshaft., for the reason that the pull of the chain upon the shaft is always necessarily in precisely the same vertical line, and never deflected or slanted out of that line. 22 is a sleeve on hanger 20,`and adjustable by a seti-screw, 23. lIts inner projection 4serves to arrest the upward lift of the arc, and limits, as desired, the distance to which the shaft 15 shall be raised. To the legs of the table are secured guides, 25,

through whichI-as well asthrough guide-holes in the table, slide the vertical shafts or rods O of the rising and falling frame, which carries and supports-'the upperand outer vset of pressers, and adjacent parts. This whole frame we will hereinafter designate as frame O. It is balanced by weights-26, suspended to each of the chains or cords 27,1which pass over rollers 28, whichv play freely on shaft 29, the other endsl of said chains being secured to the frame, as shown. 30 represents a brace or cross-bar, to`whieh is centred alever, 3.1-, for operating the frame, said lever working over loose rollers 32, on the brace or cross-bar 85 of the frame, and being secured, when'pressed down to its lowest limit, by a spring-catch, 33, attached to the cross-bar or brace 34 of thetable:- Wewll now proceed to describe the parte supported onand carried by the upper part ofthe rising and falling frame O. v j v l A is a'radially-grooved orfmortised plate, in which are' securely held the circular series of sliding plates,

I B, mortised or` dove-tailed to slide thercin. These plates have inner and downwardlyinclined plates or faces,

C, f peculiar form, the whole serics'of these arms formin B', enough broader than the slides to admit ofltheir edges coming into contuct,lthus forming, when soin contact, a'iiat slightly-flaring 'band-plate. Each of these plutcs hns a short pin projecting above its upper surfacp,

whichtakes into one of the curved grooves or camsin'the camfplate F,iig. 3. This plate is secured above them by 'a cap-plate, G, which surmounts it.A ,Thumbscrews H H, working through slots cir-openings cut away in the cap`,"an'd`secured v4to the-'piateA,`serve-to secure 'thecam-plate in'any desired position,:1foretheregulation ofthe distance that these slides shall besecured from the centre ofthe machine, whilst the turning-of thecnuv plate by means of'thc handle E, through the action of its curved grooves upon the pins, compels the slides to approach orrecede from the centre. To each of these slides is hinged or pivoted, by a pin,'D, a pressing-arm,

g a circle, whose diameter, at their lower ends, may

be increased ordiininished by the adjustment up or dow'n of ring J.

Arms C are to-beformed substantially as shown, and have these distinguishing characteristics, viz, their inner faces are rounded ofi', so as not to present any angular or sharp surface or v edg, to cut, scrape, or damage the felt; and they 'have less inclinationon their inner faces than have the sliding arms 2, in order that' the' pressure on the hat-body shall be given just where thel greatest strain orjstretching is required; and but little, l

if' any, elsewhere. o l v The ring J 'may be described as the zone of a cone, its sides tapering, to coincide with the conical form of the system of pressing-arms which it surrounds, and it lis prevented from accidentally escaping from them by passing throughloops or guards L, on or in the arms. Vertical slots ou this ring allow 'of its vertical adjustmentto any desired position, by means of setscrews K, such adjustment up Aor down causing the lexpansion or 'contraction to or from the centre of the circle formed by the series of pressing-arms C,

M represents a ring, to the inner side of which is attached a series of boxes, N, open on their faces, and

I closed on the top, corresponding in number to the lower sliding arms'2. These boxes are filled/on their inner sides withrubb'er, but they may be filled with cloth, felt, or suitable yielding' material, for the purpose of clamping, at 'the proper period, the hat-body, between themselves and the sliding arms 2. This4 rubber or other material should preject beyond the 'surface of' the box, and. may-be dove-tailed or otherwise'held in position therein. This ring may be permanently xed upon the sliding frame O, but we prefer to make it adjustable in position on the' frame, and 'for this purpose we have shown it as fitted-to be ulidden upor down thereon, and capable. of 'adjustment at will, by means of sleeves Q and set-screws P.

The lower andinnerA arms 2, on their-outer edges, taper downwards, being broadest at the top, for the pur- 'pose of preventing the hat-body from slipping upwards-when the curved or projecting portion c of the arms presses the body into the spaces between the lower arms. .The upper arms, conversely, taper upwards, being narrowest at the top, thus preserving nearly equal breadths of spaceV between the sides of both sets of arms when in actiomthroughout their whole lengths,'to insure good work.

The perforatons and grooves in the plate or disk 16 are intended t allow the'tree escape of air and water expressed from the tip or crown 4of ,the hat'whilst in the act of blocking.

When, as in some cases', a hat-body is too thick, or not sudiciently rounded ut'the tip, it may require, before stretched somewhat in order to iay dat. that portion' of the cone.

rela-i1 3 The operation of our machine is as follows: We first loosen the thumb-screw 14, and throw the lever 9 upwards to 'its full extent, in order to expand the inner series of^ arms,v2. The hat-block 17 is then placed 'on vthe plate 16. The ,lever29 is then pressed down, until the arms are brought sufiiciently close together to allow block 17 to pass freely between them. Thumb-screw 14 is then tightened, to hold the arms 2 rmly in their proper position. The frameO is next pressed down, bringing the upper band-plates B near to the lower band'- plates 3. Thumb-screws H H are then loosened, and, by a circular movement of ring,r or handle E, a corresponding size, adapted to that of the lower band-plate, is obtained. The thumb-screws II Il are then secured. ylhe Aframe O is then thrown up, and the hat-body placed over the block, and the lower arms 2. The frame or gate O is non' brought down by lever 31, this lever being'then secured by spring-catch Lever 18 is next forced down', by the foot of the operator or otherwise, thus causing the chain 19 to drive the hut-block up into the crown of the hat. TheK work is then complete. The frame O'is now lifted, and the hat and block taken olf. -The block is removedfrom'the hat, and the operation is repeatedfor each hat to be blocked.

It is evident that blocks of any size, or of any form upon their tops, whether dat, convex, oval, or otnerwise, may be used with equal success upon our machine, and as fashion or tasto may demand, and without any change in the principle or structure of the machine.

We are aware that two setsof ribs'or arms, between which the hat-brim or crown is stretched and corrugated, have heretofore been used, and also that the same have been used in connection with a ring or band, over which the brim is broken. Such devices, therefore, we do not claim; but

What we do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

'1. A forming-block, combined with a system of radially-adjustable brim-supporting arms, constructed an'd operating substantially as described.

2. A circular series of radially-sliding brim-supporting arms, to enter the body of the hat, and adjustable in xed positions, to and from a centre, substantially as shown and described.

3. The adjustable ring 4, sliding in the inclined slots, to vary thc positions of and hold securely the radial brim-supporting arms in the desired fixed position, either to or. from a centre.

4. lThe combination, with a radially-mortiscd plate, of a circular system of radial brim-supporting arms, arranged to receive the hat-block within the circle they describe.

. 5. The radial arms of the system of brim-supporting arms, constructed with their outer surfaces tapering gradually downward from the top of thc sectional band-plate, as and for the purpose described. 6. The combination of the ring 4, its supporting-frame, and an adjustable lever, for operating it and holding the brim-supporting arms positively and rmly in the position to which they ,may he adjusted.

7. The combination of a. perforated hat-forming block with a g-rooved, perforated, or skeleton supportingplate, for the purpose-set forth.

8.,The arrangement of the series of clamping-fingers with the series of stretching-arms, and with their supporting-frame, whereby is provided the means for adjustment-of the clamping-fingers, independent of the means for the adjustment of the stretching-arms, substantially as described. t

9. The combination of grooved cam-.plate F, whether with or without its rim or handle, with the system of radial stretching-arms, substantially ns and for the purpose set forth.

10. The arrangement, in n. hat-blocking machine, of lever 18 with the adjustable stop 22, lo limit the upward movement of the hat-block, for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination of a setof radial stretching-arms with a set of slides, the inner surfaces of such slides forming the banding-rim, substantially as described.

12.The combination of the loose adjustable ring J with the outer system' of stretching-arms, for the purpose of graduating the amount of stretch to be given to the brim of the hatlbody, substantially as described. v 13. The loops' or guards upon the radial stretching-armsr to sustain the ring J, and serving therewith to form slots or guides, toinsure the positive expansion of the system of stretching-arms by the action of the ring,

when raised. v 1

14. The combination, with the stretcher-carrying sliding frame, of the counterbalancing weights, substantially as shown and described.

15. The combination of an outer system of rising und falling stretching-arms with an inner system ofl radially-sliding brim-supporting arms, which have'no rising and falling motion.

`16. The combination inthe same machineLand for joint action, of a system of radially-adjustable brimsupporting arms, a system of stretching-arms, anda rising hat-forming block, the same operating substantially as described.

GEORGE vA. MANDEVILLE, WM. E. PINE.

Witnesses:

' H. C. WaI'rLnY, Lnwrs D. Chairs. 

